Woody Allen’s 2009 comedy Whatever Works was actually written three decades earlier in the 1970s.
In short: When Woody Allen returned to New York City to film this cynical comedy, he dusted off a script originally penned in the 1970s. Though it stars Larry David as a misanthropic former quantum mechanics professor, the project was initially conceived for Zero Mostel, who passed away in 1977.
The film follows Boris Yelnikoff, a cynical chess teacher and former Columbia University professor who finds his solitary life upended by a young runaway named Melody. Their unlikely marriage serves as a catalyst for a series of transformative events, as Melody’s conservative Southern parents arrive in New York City only to find themselves shedding their old values for a liberal, urban lifestyle. By the film's conclusion, the characters have all gravitated toward new, unconventional relationships, illustrating Boris’s guiding philosophy: one must simply find whatever enjoyment is possible in life.
Allen originally shelved the script after the death of Zero Mostel, the actor he had in mind for the lead role. He revisited the material thirty years later, largely to ensure a film was completed ahead of a potential Screen Actors Guild strike. Allen maintained that the only significant modifications made to the original draft were updates to topical references, a point he emphasized to counter claims that the film was autobiographical.
Upon its 2009 release, the film received a mixed reception from critics. Aggregators like Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic recorded average scores, with some reviewers noting that the decades-old script felt somewhat dated or lacking in fresh ideas. Despite this, the film grossed $35 million and was praised by some for its character writing, particularly regarding the roles created for women. It remains a unique artifact of Allen’s career, marking his return to his native New York after a four-film stint in Europe.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Whatever Works
- Also: Wikidata — Whatever Works · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Whatever Works · CC0
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